Electric fishing reel



May 17, 1949. D. A. LUTON EIAL ELECTRIC FISHING REEL 2 Sheets-Sheet 1Filed Jan. 13, 1947 ill ' Dem se K05 By 2% and May 17, 1949.

D. A. LUTON ETAL 2,470,507

ELECTRIC FISHING REEL 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 13, 1947 M M A f 8 U n9 L e A m E 1 e v M m g I m m um m M. 2 a a a 2 W Patented May 17, 1949ELECTRIC FISHING REEL Dempsey A. Luton and Karl M. Johnson, Jackson,Wyo.

Application January 13, 1947, Serial No. 721,784

v6 Claims. 1

This invention comprises novel and useful improvements in an electricfishing reel and more specifically pertains to a self-contained unitaryassembly including a power driven reel adapted for insertion intofishing rod handles.

The principal objects of our invention are to, provide a unitary powerdriven reel assembly which is compactly designed for installation into ahollow fishing rod hand-1e; wherein an electric motor is employed foroperating the fishing reel; wherein provision is made for powering saidmotor from self-contained dry cells stored in a novel manner in theassembly; wherein a self-winding mechanism is incorporated into theunitary assembly; wherein a novel overload pressure release mechanism isprovided for disconnecting the driving mechanism from the fishing reelas desired.

Other ancillary objects of our invention are to provide a device of thecharacter set forth above which shall be of light weight, compact,sturdy, durable and efficient in design, and which may be inexpensivelyconstructed.

These, together with various other objects of the invention which willlater become apparent as the following description proceeds, arerealized a. fishing rod into which our device has been incorporated;

Figure 2 is a top plan view, parts being shown in section, of a fishingrod handle to which our device has been applied;

Figure 3 is a vertical central longitudinal sectional view through aportion of a fishing rod handle into which our device has beenincorporated;

Figure 4 is a transverse vertical sectional view being takensubstantially upon the line 44 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view being substantially upon the line5-5 of Figure 3; and

Figure 6 is a diagrammatic view of the electric circuit of our device.

Figure 7 is a detail view in central vertical section, showing amodified form of the pressure responsive clutch release means.

Attention is now directed more specifically to the attached drawings,wherein like numerals indicate similar parts throughout the severalviews and wherein It] indicates a portion of a fishing rod having ahollow cylindrical handle l2 provided with an end cover cap l4 screwthreadedly engaged thereon. As shown best in Figures 3 and '7, thehandle is provided with a longitudinally extending slot 5 adapted topermit passage of a fishing line l8 into the interior thereof in amanner to be subsequently set forth.

Attention is now directed more specifically to Figure 3 wherein theconstruction of our unitary assembly is illustrated. A cylindricalsleeve of a suitable diameter to snugly but removably fit within thebore of the hollow handle I2, is closed at one end with a closure 22axially apertured at 24 for a purpose to be subsequently apparent. Apair of partitions axially and longitudinally spaced and designated at26 and 28 are secured in any suitable manner within the cylindricalsleeve 20 intermediate the ends thereof, and serve to divide theinterior of the cylindrical member 20 into three axially alignedchambers 36, 32 and 34 constituting a reel chamber, an intermediatechamber and a motor chamber respectively. An electric motor, indicatedgenerally at 36 is mounted in any convenient manner in the motor chamber34 and serves to rotate a drive shaft 38 which extends through suitableantifriction bearing means 40 in the partition 28 and is detachablyconnected as at 42 with the arma-, ture of the motor. A clutch couplingmember 44 of any known type, is mounted upon the drive shaft 38 anddetachably couples the same in driving relation to the driven shaft 45which is axially aligned therewith. The clutch 44 is controlled by anoperating lever 46 which is suitably journaled upon a supporting bracket48 mounted upon the partition 26. The driven shaft 45 extends through anaperture 50 in the partition 26 and has a driving gear 52 non-rotatablybut slidably splined thereon for a purpose to be later set forth. A coilspring 54 surrounds the driven shaft 45 and is retained between thedriving gear 52 and an adjusting nut 56 screw threadedly engaging aportion of the driven shaft 45 for adjusting the tension of the coilspring 54. It will thus be seen, that the spring 54 urges the nut 56,the driven shaft 45, in a direction to engage the clutch element 44 andestablish and maintain a co-operative engagement between the driving anddriven shafts 38 and 45. V

The wall of the casing 20 is longitudinally slotted at 58, in a mannerto register with the slot I6 in the handle 12, in order to permit theend of the operating lever 46 to extend through both said slots for apurpose to be later set forth. A fishing reel 63] is rotatably andaxially mounted in the compartment 3!], and has its outer end portionjournaled as by ball bearings 62 upon the inner surface of the closureplate 22 3 ior the purpose of supporting and centering the outer end ofthe reel. The reel 66 is provided with an axial bore 64 therethrough,which bore is of the same diameter as the aperture 24 and which is linedwith an insulating or non-conducting sleeve 66 within which areremovably seated two or more conventional dry cell batteries 68 whichare urged inwardly of the reel and of the sleeve by means'of coilspringwhich is seated upon and located by a metallic bolt 1'2 formed upon themetallic closure cap l4. At its inward end, the hollow reel 6|] isdiametrically enlarged as aft 14 to provide an annular shoulder and isthen again diametrically enlarged by an integral closure plate 16 acrossthe east-newer. closed end portion 16 is axially bored as at 8 toreceive and journal in 'both'a rotatable and slidable manner, thereduced end portion 8p of the driven shaft 45. The bearing engagement'at 18 and 80 thus serves both to support the driven "shaft 45 and alsoto journal and support the inner'end of 'the'reel fifl. A nietallicconducting "disc 82 isse'cured in 'the :inner end of theirisulatingsleeve 66 and cons'titutes a terminal 'for 'entgagem'e'rit by the*central lectrode terminals of r the airy #cell batteries 268, I saiddisc -82 engaging an insulating was'herA84 interposed between said disc"and the inwardly "extending axial bulge of the closure 'member 16.A'conductor 86 cohnccts gthe mtallic disc 82 *with the "conducting n -ofthe motor=-36,-in"a:manner welllinbwn'but 'not 7 "shown.

A level winding mechanism for evenly ;positioning -thie fishing dine I 8upon :the reel "is :provided withinthe reel chamber 30,-:said mechanismconsisting of a rotatable shaftMarrang'ed withinsuitable'bearings fllfiand 8-8 in'the casing $20; and reversely=threadd asat- N10- to causecontinuous reciprocation of'a level Winder ill-260i a known type. =Atits ir-mer end,:theshaft 94 is --provided "with a *driven egear *104which meshes with a ring ge'ar I-'06 formed upon (the enlarged portionT6 of the reel. A -guidesleeve "which *may .1 pref erabl'y be in theform fof -a tube, I08 is securedito the inneri'surface 0f the-casing 20and extends through an'aperture in *the 2 partition 26, to guide thefishing line 18 through -the slots l-6;and 58,- through-jthepartition-26 andthrou'gh a suitable aperture 1 in;the level winder H] 2from 'vvhich ,it isfed upon tl e 1881 or -dispensed from the reel-60.curved guidellll is securedupon the outer end; of the-operating arm 46of the clutch lever and thefishing line l-B extends therethrough for=- apurpose to benow described.

-As "will be understood frem 'the foregoing, "the spring 54 urges theclutch-44 'intoan engagedposi- '-t-i'on in accord-ance with thetensionfof't'he' :spring ;as regulated-by the adjustingnut- 56,-tothereby -maintain -'a dlti ling cionnection betweenthe motor 36 and thereel 60. Wheneventhe tensibn in the dishing dine lB exceeds-apredetermined value, gcorresp onding to that-for which the tension ofthe-spring 54 has-been adjusted; and which predetermined tension willnormally be selected by lsuchifactors "as the-strengthof the line 8, thestre'ngt h of the rnq'tor"'36, andsimilar factors, "the angular 'disposltionof the line -I-8 as it is enarmed, idver' tlie (iterating-leve'46fby means of '--the guide tube I I0 when 'cl'ock'wi'se'.--pull --uponthe operating lever 46 in opposition to the action of the spring 54.When sufficient tension is exerted upon the line I8, the lever 46overcomes the resistance of spring 54 and causes a disengagement of theelements of the clutch 44, thereby breaking the driving engagementbetween the motor 36 and the reel 60.

In order to provide the customary brake drag upon the reel, as whenplaying a"fis'h, a pair of "arms H2 preferably of resilient material aresecured upon diametrically opposite sides of the rod handle I2, and areprovided with detent members '1 I4-extending through suitable alignedapertures in the rod handle and the casing 20, and into engagement withthe teeth of the ring gear H6 formed upon member 16, to thereby exert abraking action uponthe same. As will be understood, the fisher mayselectively increase or release this braking pressure by controlling thepressure exerted upon the flexible members H2. As shown -be"st=in-Fig'ure 23a fingeroperat'eli switch 41s is *mounted upon the ibutersurface of the handle 1'2 and is electrically connected unto the :line532 "which extends fro'm the brush 91] to the "electric motor 36, fortherebycontrdllin'gthe operation of the motor and "the winding df the"reel as re- -quired. As "shown in "the diagrammatic sketch of'-Fig=ure'=6,'- the *dr'y cells =areag'rounded as by Ethe coil spring1:0 to the-frame of the casing -20 and rod handle 1'2, and areconri'ected by the icondu'ctor- QZ to the electric motor 36, *which*motor is then controlled by the manual-switch H8 connected to i theground.

Attention is now di'rected'to Figure '7 showing a -modified form of :the=-clutch con-trol and rle'as'e means. "In this embodiment *of theinvention,

theol'utch operating-'lever 46 has at thedower 'e'nld --thereof a:resilient, -angularly "extending s'pring -contactarm "which is solpo'sitioned'that ih response to abnormal movement :of the lever 46 inresponse -to -an ever-load upon the line i l, the switch member 'fil'flis urged to 'closin'g position upon "the -con'tacts' of a switch member7 l 22 monnecting-the-power line for th'e motor '92, with a K groundingline 4-24, to thereby prevent actuatign of said motor.

=It is to "be understood "that if desired the :batteries may beeliminated a'ndtheelectric motor po\vered by a flexible "electriccab-le, not shown inany-suitable manner.

We claim as our invention: *1. -'A unitary, power =drive'n rel assembly,for

dishing rods, comprising: a casing, an axially apertured closure at oriee'n'd bf said basingfi a first and second 1t'ai'titibh aix'i'ally spaced"and intermediateIy disposed in said and term- -ing a reel chamber, amotor cliambr ah'ri ah intermediate chamber, an axially extendih'g rlrotatably m'ountii in ain r eel chamber, an "electric imotor axiallyposition'e d in saiu motdr -necting sai'd batteries and "lsaid' motor.

2. A unitary, .powerdrive'n'reel mssemblypror fishing rods, comprising:-a casin'g, an axially apertured closure at one end of said casing, a

first and "second tpart-it-ion a'X-iaily spaced and =-intermediatelydisposedin s'aid' casingeand forming a reel 'chamber, :a :motor eha-mber"and an intermediate chamber; anaxialiy extending= reel ''rotatablymounted in said reel chanrber, an,

electric motor axially positioned in said motor chamber, a drive shaftand clutch connected with said motor and mounted in said intermediatechamber and gearing means in said reel chamber connecting said driveshaft and said reel, said reel having an axial bore for receiving drycell batteries and circuit means operably connecting said batteries andsaid motor, a nonconductive sleeve in said axial bore of said reel, saiddry cell batteries being removabl positioned in said sleeve.

3. A unitary, power driven reel assembly, for fishing rods, comprising:a casing, an axially apertured closure at one end of said casing, afirst and second partition axially spaced and intermediately disposed insaid casing and forming a reel chamber, a motor chamber and anintermediate chamber, an axially extending reel rotatably mounted insaid reel chamber, an electric motor axially positioned in said motorchamber, a drive shaft and clutch connected with said motor and mountedin said intermediate chamber and gearing means in said reel chamberconnecting said drive shaft and said reel, said reel having an axialbore for receiving dry cell batteries and circuit means operablyconnectin said batteries and said motor, said reel having an end portionof enlarged diameter, an annular conducting ring on said portion ofenlarged diameter, an electric conductor having a relatively rotatableconnection with said ring and connected with said motor, said ring beingelectrically connected with said batteries.

4. A unitary, power driven reel assembly, for fishing rods, comprising:a casing, an axially apertured closure at one end of said casing, afirst and second partition axially spaced and intermediately disposed insaid casing and forming a reel chamber, a motor chamber and anintermediate chamber, an axially extending reel rotatably mounted insaid reel chamber, an electric motor axially positioned in said motorchamber, a drive shaft and clutch connected with said motor and mountedin said intermediate chamber and gearing means in said reel chamberconnecting said drive shaft and said reel, said reel having a closed endportion of enlarged diameter, an axial bore in said reel for slidablyand rotatably receiving an end of said drive shaft.

5. A unitary, power driven reel assembly, for fishing rods, comprising:a casing, an axially apertured closure at one end of said casing, afirst and second partition axially spaced and intermediately disposed insaid casing and forming a reel chamber, a motor chamber and anintermediate chamber, an axially extending reel rotatably mounted insaid reel chamber, an electric motor axially positioned in said motorchamber, a drive shaft and clutch connected with said motor and mountedin said intermediate chamber and gearing means in said reel chamberconnecting said drive shaft and said reel, said reel having a closed endportion of enlarged diameter, an axial bore in said reel for slidablyand rotatably receiving an end of said drive shaft, an internal gear onsaid end portion engageable with said gearing means.

6. A unitary, power driven reel assembly, for fishing rods, comprising:a casing, an axially apertured closure at one end of said casing, afirst and second partition axially spaced and intermediately disposed insaid casing and forming a reel chamber, a motor chamber and anintermediate chamber, an axially extending reel rotatably mounted insaid reel chamber, an electric motor axially positioned in said motorchamber, a drive shaft and clutch connected with said motor and mountedin said intermediate chamber and gearing means in said reel chamberconnecting said drive shaft and said reel, said reel having a closed endportion of enlarged diameter, an axial bore in said reel for slidablyand rotatably receiving an end of said drive shaft, an internal gear onsaid end portion engageable with said gearing means and a ring gear onsaid enlarged portion, a level Winder journaled in said reel compartmentand geared to said ring gear.

DEMPSEY A. LUTON. KARL M. JOHNSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 769,142 Atkinson Sept. 6, 1904902,447 Piper Oct. 27, 1908 1,005,015 French Oct. 3, 1911 1,062,488McCluer et a1. May 20, 1913 2,399,863 Forestiere, Sr. May 7, 1946

